(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image communicating apparatus and, more particularly, to an image communicating apparatus which can transmit image data to communication destinations over the Internet.
(2) Description of Related Art
Utilization of various image communicating apparatus such as facsimiles and the like is significantly spreading in recent years. The facsimile is an apparatus which scans an original to read image data, compresses [in MH (Modified Huffman Coding)/MR (Modified Relative element address designate coding)/MMR (Modified Modified Relative element address designate coding)] the image data, outputs the data by virtue of a coding/decoding apparatus (a modem) and a line controlling (network controlling) apparatus over a telephone line to communicate a destination of communication. When a received signal is expanded, the data of the image is expanded by the coding/decoding apparatus, then the image becomes visible by a function of a recording unit.
On the other hand, the Internet has been rapidly spreading for years. This rapid spread of the Internet arises a subject of affinity between the facsimile apparatus and the Internet since use of the facsimile apparatus is generalized. For this, it is desirable that the facsimile apparatus can be easily connected to the Internet.
However, the present situation is that there has been found no connection in a data format or the like between the Internet and facsimile apparatus because the data description (HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language) in WWW (World Wide Web) in the Internet is a plain text which is quite different from bit information of a facsimile apparatus. Further, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) is used as an upper communication protocol, while TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)/IP (Internet Protocol) is used as a lower communication protocol in WWW of Internet. In order to connect the facsimile apparatus to the Internet, it is necessary to incorporate a retailed software such as Mosaic, Netscape or the like as a browser software in the facsimile apparatus. Actually, incorporation of such a software in the facsimile apparatus is difficult in the light of the price and the like. If the demand to connect the facsimile apparatus to the Internet is discussed including an OS (Operating System), it is necessary to step into the field of personal computers rather than the facsimile apparatus.
In the light of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an image communicating apparatus having a simple structure, which can convert or process image data read out by an image reading means into information which can be treated in a higher degree in the Internet, besides being able to transmit the processed image ata to a terminal apparatus used to process data connected to Internet, and a communicating system using the above mage communicating apparatus.